Finding hair in a bed

[Timmy]

At Dan's scouting workshop I noticed that when he looked for hair in a bed he would actually get down in the bed and almost comb through the leaves looking for hair. Yesterday I found a few beds and brushed away some of the pine needles and leaves and noticed that you can actually see layers of hair from years past. There was hair pressed in to the bare dirt, on top of that was a layer of pine needles, and on top of that some more hair.. Looks like the beds I found under this pine tree have been used for at least the past few years. I found hairs ranging from 3/4" to 2"+ . Does the difference in hair lengths mean that it is used at different times of the year? Would the shorter hairs indicate use during the early season? This is a pretty remote island with brush and only a couple trees on it and surrounded by marsh grass.


Here's a pic of the second bed that he could use on diifferent wind. This bed also had hair at different layers in the leaves

[365buckin]

Spring beds have winter hair in them, but I have not dug down to see what else is under the leaf litter. Nice job being thorough! You said, 1)remote island surrounded by marsh grass, 2)different lengths of hair....That just makes me think primary bedding all year long. Not really sure if it is wind specific or not, But with different hair lengths means they are using the bed different seasons of the year, or all year. Just be careful the shorter hairs you found were not winter hairs that were partially decomposed and that made them smaller/shorter. But overall, it sounds like an isolated bed out in the marsh that a buck is using year around. And more than likely it is not wind specific because of it location being out in the middle of no where. Can you post a picture of it on an aerial and topo? That will really help with the guessing to figure it out.

[dan]

I think it would be hard to determine time of year by hair lenth... They always have some long and some short hairs on there bodys. Just generally shorter with summer hair.

[Sweet Shot 7]

I think the beds with the most hair in them are spring beds. I found this with alot of does beds this year. The buck beds I found had hair in them but I think from last year or prior years. I dont think the bucks are bedding on my farm untill season.

[dan]

I think the beds with the most hair in them are spring beds. I found this with alot of does beds this year. The buck beds I found had hair in them but I think from last year or prior years. I dont think the bucks are bedding on my farm untill season.

Thats interesting... Most of the areas I hunt that deer void in winter months, the bucks are back around green up... Do you see any velvet bucks in summer?